Traditionally, information relating to positions such as an end of data (EOD), a file mark (or a tape mark), or the like is stored in a cartridge memory (hereinafter, referred to as “CM”) of a tape cartridge. This information is read into a memory on a controller of a tape drive by a CM reader/writer provided in the tape drive at the time of loading the tape cartridge. The tape drive performs high-speed positioning using the information relating to positioning commands, such as a locate command, a space file command, and the like, from a higher-level host. Access time may be shortened by using the high-speed positioning.
As a related art, for example, there is a technique in which a memory information reading unit of a magnetic tape library apparatus reads information from a memory of a magnetic tape cartridge, and a maintenance/exchange determination unit performs determination whether to maintain or exchange a magnetic tape drive on the basis of the read information. There is another technique in which a sensor attached to a gripping mechanism reads cartridge information from a radio frequency identifier (RFID) chip attached to a cartridge, performs communication with a semiconductor chip attached to a storage rack, and stores the cartridge information in the semiconductor chip.
Related techniques are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2006-164445 and Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2007-179694.
In the related arts, when it is difficult for a tape drive to read information stored in a CM due to some reasons at the time of loading a tape cartridge, the information relating to positions, such as an EOD, a file mark, and the like is unavailable for the tape drive.